


Interns and Regulars

by dreamyafterdark



Category: Not Waving But Drowning (2012), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Brendol Hux's A+ Parenting, Brendol Might Maybe Maybe Get a Second Chance, Cats, Kylux - Freeform, Kylux Adjacents, Kylux Summer Fest, Kylux Summer Fest 2019, M/M, New York City, Online Dating, Past Abuse, Physical Abuse, Soft Kylux, kylux au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 20:47:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20453318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamyafterdark/pseuds/dreamyafterdark
Summary: Fresh out of university, Armie arrives at NYC to take a summer job as an intern at Ireland's Mission to the UN - arranged by Brendol. Sadly, it may have been too much to hope for Brendol's behaviour to have changed, but Armie meets two people that will change his life: a powerful ally, and the love of his life he hadn't believed he'd ever find.Note: This could easily be a Modern Benarmie AU, but Adam from Not Waving But Drowning just fit into the story so well, that I made it an Adjacent.





	Interns and Regulars

Perhaps it hadn’t been until the plane was landing that it felt real. Or perhaps it was the persistent undercurrent of dread that was keeping Armie from fully realising that this was really happening. At least until he was out of customs and baggage reclaim and making his way out of the airport. No one to collect him – that was a relief, really. Armie was glad to get onto the shuttle himself, and as they sped off, he exhaled deeply.

New York City.  
An internship, at the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN.  
Way too close to Brendol, who had gotten him the job in the first place, but – New York City, darling.  
Armie nodded to himself with a satisfied grin. Not a bad summer job. Not at all…

The place was on the 5th floor, and no elevator. Armie took two steps at a time for the first three flights, then single ones as his heart began to beat in his ears. Well. 

“Free exercise, right?”, he grinned breathlessly as the landlady opened the door.

She barely raised an eyebrow in response, just waved him inside.

“Your room’s at the back. Wi-fi code is XOXO. No smoking inside, and no showers after midnight. Wakes up my cat…”  
“Right so.”

It was 11 pm when Armie lay down in bed. After unpacking, after getting his first taste of street food this side of the Atlantic, after a shower and after evicting two big spiders from his room. At least no roaches. Yet…

The noise outside was certainly different than he was used to from Dublin, but the heat left him no choice: he had to leave the window open over night or feel like he was literally going to be cooked in his sleep. It was certainly right what they said about New York in the summer time. There was a fan, but it wasn’t much relief. Mainly, it seemed to provide some white noise. Softly singing “Summer in the city”, Armie fell asleep. Big day tomorrow…

Armie woke to a big, furry cat butt in the process of smothering him. Fighting it off earned him a semi-clawed paw on his arm, before a very indignant feline hopped down from his bed and sauntered out his room. Armie looked around, and saw a bunch of grey cat hair that hadn’t been there when he went to sleep. 

“Mr Tickles! Get yer breakfast!”, crowed out across the hall.

Right so. Mr Tickles knew how to open doors.

10 minutes early wasn’t really late, but Armie was still stressed as he got into the building. He’d have preferred 20. He wanted to make a good impression, have time to straighten himself out in the bathrooms, but as it was he only had time for a cursory glance and a smooth-down of his light, red-blonde hair, before rushing back out to the reception area. Brendol was already there, but thankfully he was with other people, so he couldn’t be outright ghastly with Armie. And he wouldn’t even have to work closely with his father after all, he was getting put into an adjacent office. Sweet! Armie felt happy as he got signed in, received his temporary pass, and was shown to his area. Brendol didn’t get much more than a few underhand digs in, and Armie was still really good at letting those roll clean off his back.

It had been a few years since they had last met. Back in Dublin, his mother had remarried years ago, and Armie got on well with his stepdad and siblings. But his relationship with Brendol had always been complicated. On one hand, the man was grandiose, jovial and sociable. On the other, he was vindictive, cruel and- Armie swallowed. Some other things, that he didn’t really want to think about now. This placement was good for his CV, his further career. It was a great opportunity, and if this was a way for Brendol to make up for how horrible he’d treated his son in the past, well-… 

The first part of the day went well. Armie was getting settled in and shown his way around, and though everyone was very busy, most people seemed nice. Armie got stuck into handling paperwork, then went out with another intern, Jim, to pick up sandwiches for an informal lunch meeting. As he went back to his seat, a lady came back out after him.  
“Do you want this?”  
She held out one of the sandwiches, and Armie flustered slightly as the took it from her. She looked so elegant in a sharp, white suit, a silver bracelet shimmering against her dark skin, but the look she gave him was playful, almost conspirationaly. 

“One of the guys didn’t turn up. At least not in time. And it’d be a shame to waste it – unless you don’t like salmon.”  
“I love salmon!”, Armie burst out. 

The lady chuckled, and placed the sandwich on his desk.

“I’m Rae. Rae Sloane. You’re Brendol’s boy, right? Armitage?”

Armie nodded and wiped his hand, before holding it out to shake hers.

“Nice to meet you, Rae.”  
“Nice to meet you, too.”

That evening, Armie finished up at normal time, and happily. The next evening he also left at normal time, but by then Brendol had already made his presence felt. It was a good thing the air conditioning in the office worked well. Armie had no problem keeping his arms covered up. Now, walking down into the street, he instinctively reached to roll up his sleeves, as the heated city air hit him full force. Hux blinked, and didn’t notice the guy walking straight towards him, his own head turned back and then onto his phone. By the time, Armie realised it was too late to get out of the way, and the two collided. Armie automatically threw up his hands, then shivered as the stranger’s lips accidentally brushed past the side of one of them. 

It was a split-second sensation, coupled with the realisation that this guy was *beautiful*, and Armie’s nervous system painted his face a nice shade of crimson in no time.

“Ugh, sorry mate. Didn’t see you there.”

Perfect. Just perfect. The guy wasn’t just criminally hot, but his voice had to have the kind of bass tones that made Armie shiver.

“N-No problem.”, he flustered, and rushed away as fast as he could. 

And he didn’t let himself stop and turn back either. Not until two blocks later, by which time it’d have been very strange if he’d still have been able to spot the other guy. Of course not. He wasn’t going to follow him, now, not unless he was scary. And he didn’t seem scary. No, he seemed… Armie wanted to say “nice”, but really what could you say after such a short encounter? He didn’t seem aggressive, that was true. He seemed.. relaxed perhaps? Dizzy? 

But what was he doing at the UN building anyway? An intern for a late shift? Part of a focus group? Armie suddenly noticed that he was standing still on a busy sidewalk, and he could smell something rather nice on top of the otherwise quite filthy summer city smell. As he turned his head, he saw a small Thai restaurant, and went to get dinner inside. 

Tucked into a dark corner, leaning over his noodle dish, a small smile played around his lips as he tapped away on his phone. Crazy, perhaps. But he was still in the vicinity, and perhaps he could find out more about this guy on Tinder?

“Adam… So that’s your name. And you’re 24…. And you’re way too perfect for me…”

Lying in bed, Armie listened to the city outside as he flicked back and forth between his screenshots of Adam’s profile. Of course he hadn’t swiped right. He was much too chicken for that. Besides, who knew how disappointing it would be that he was only in town for a month. Of course, “Adam” might be up for flings, perhaps that was all he wanted even, but Armie couldn’t do that with people he liked. He’d only met this guy for 20 seconds, but he knew he probably would like him. The stakes were simply too high for a casual thing… But at least now he could tell himself, that “Adam” was real. And, indeed, he was into guys, or at least open to the idea – otherwise Armie wouldn’t have been able to see him, right?... Right?... His hands stroked up his arms, absent-mindedly, comfortingly, and clearly forgetting his bruises. Armie winced at the reminder that he was clearly “damaged goods”. Someone this cute would never want him… Why should he… Armie felt Mr Tickles hop onto the bed and curl up next to him, as if the tom had somehow known that tears were rolling down the ginger-haired’s face. And he had taken so much care to be quiet…

Back at work, things were pretty sweet with regards to actual work. But with Brendol, they steadily got worse. A phone message wasn’t perfect. A coffee order wasn’t right. Some file went missing, and it wasn’t even Armie’s area to begin with, but it seemed like the first time Brendol had violently grabbed hold of him had somehow opened the gates. Now it was Friday, late afternoon, and by now Brendol saw nothing in slapping his son across the face so hard that he stumbled and fell over a chair. 

And it wouldn’t have had to stop there, and not at this time, when a lot of people had already left this area. But the door opened, just as Armie got up, and someone needed to get Brendol to sign a request. Armie’s back was turned, and the other man seemed to not pay him any notice. But somehow hearing Brendol’s voice switching so fast to nice, calm and respectful, even funny – it wasn’t like Armie didn’t know what he was like, but somehow, something just made him snap, and as soon as the other man had left, he turned around and glared at his father.

“Packed away your Dr. Jekyll, again, have you?”

Rage shot up in Brendol’s eyes. Back talk wasn’t tolerated. Armie knew he should back down if he didn’t want more trouble, but something cold inside him just needed out. And he could see the guy out on the corridor had turned around and was on his way back, so he wiped his split lip and continued.

“It’s getting old now, don’t you think? When’s this going to stop?”

Brendol was about to strike him again, when the man came in again, and he morphed back into a sweet, funny person. Armie just shook his head disdainfully. And while he wasn’t standing there to make a show for the other man, the fact that he didn’t give Armie or his split lip a second glance, was actually somewhat depressing. Still, he had nothing more to say, and made his way to leave behind the man. Brendol gripped his arm, and Armie froze, unsure if he should stay still or actually spin around and punch him. But Brendol’s voice was calm. Fake calm. Creepily.

“Trying to show me up there, were you? Huh? Well, you’re right, this is going to stop now. You’re fired. Better grab your things and get back home, because you won’t get a penny from us. I’ll allocate your wages to cover… damages.”

Armie’s eyes filled with disbelief and anger, but Brendol just laughed.

“Get out now, before I call security on you. We take that very seriously here, you know… come to think of it, perhaps a night in jail would do you good…”

He was still laughing, when Armie rushed away, flushed with anger, and tears in his eyes. What had he expected? That after a few years, Brendol would have changed? That he wouldn’t have gotten worse? Was this even worse? Wasn’t this how he always was? But… no. This was worse now. His fists balled at his sides. This was worse than not having this placement on his CV. Brendol would embarrass him in front of the others, give him a bad name. Armitage had worked well and hard. He wanted the references. He wanted to be proud of himself. He deserved this, damnit…- Wait, where was he? Armie looked up. He had somehow ended up in the basement, just pacing and thinking. In a storage room, he could see leftovers from a meeting on a tray, next to a bin. Cake and drinks, and sandwiches. He looked around, but no one was to be seen, so he went inside and helped himself.

“Hey, are you alright?”

Armie startled as he woke up, slumped over a chair. He rubbed his eyes, and mumbled. Couldn’t even remember falling asleep here… But wait, that voice…  
“Adam?”  
“Oh you know me?”  
“I.. uh…”

Armie scanned Adam’s chest for a name tag of some sort, but alas, no such luck. Instead, now he looked like he was checking out Adam’s pecs.

“No, uh, lucky guess. I mean, I was dreaming. I mean… who are you? Do you work here?”

Wow, that was the stupidest words he could have said. Adam tilted his head slightly, but he answered patiently, as if Armie perhaps had hit his head.

“Yeah, I’m a cleaner. You? You haven’t broken in or anything? You don’t look like you’re homeless.”

Armie gave a sigh.  
“No, I work here – well, worked. Yeah, I guess, technically I am homeless now...”

Adam raised his eyebrows.  
“Shit. What happened?... Did you… get into a fight?”

Armie flushed. Clearly the guy had seen his bruised lip. His face fell. He was angry, wanted to close up, run away, or actually, he wanted to cry.

“Hey… hey, I’m sorry.”

No, this was way worse. Now Adam was sitting down next to him, and when he saw the glittering in Armie’s eyes, he put his arm around him. This was too much. Armie let out a sob. He felt so ashamed, but then Adam pulled him into his arms and just held him in a bear hug, and… the shame faded away.

“I’m sorry, it’s just… been a bit much today.”, Armie began, but Adam didn’t seem in a hurry to let go.

When he did, he smiled reassuringly.

“Let’s go for a drink, what do you say? I just have to finish up this floor, then I’m done for the night.”

It was an all night café that Adam brought Armie to, a chilled out place with big cushions, comfort food and soul music. When they got in, it was still quite busy, and the two had to sit closely together. But as the place cleared, neither of them moved away. In fact, they only got closer, Armie leaning his head on Kylo’s shoulder, both of them threading their fingers together. At one point, Adam carefully lifted Armie’s sleeves, tracing across his skin so gently it felt like it was healing his bruises. And when he kissed Armie, his lip seemed to stop hurting, too. At least for a while…

Outside, the sun was already on its way to rise again in a greyish blue sky. Armie smiled. Even here in the city, never sleeping, light pollution, somehow timeless and season-less, there was little bit of that early morning magic that summer brings. The opposite of it being dark at 3 pm in winter. This light... was special... And it made him happy, and even though he'd only just met Adam, he just... felt safe with him. Armie's situation was so weird, and scary, but somehow having Adam there made him feel like things might be alright. Somehow, perhaps it might be alright. He slowly blinked, but when he opened his eyes again it was to a dreadful sight. 

“No!!”

Adam had already stepped out on the road, and a car had hit him. The driver sped off, while Armie scrambled to help Adam off the road. 

“Are you OK? Are you OK? Fucking hell, are you OK?!”  
“Yeah, I’m.. I think my leg’s broken though…”

Waiting in the A&E, Adam had been given pain killers and was somewhat knocked out. Now it was his head on Armie’s lap, as he lay across a few chairs with his leg kept straight. The gingerhaired’s slim fingers threading through his hair and massaging his scalp lightly almost made him fall asleep, and they didn’t talk much, but it felt like their bodies talked plenty. While Armie was taken by the down-to-earth kindness of this beautiful stranger, Adam was tired of being seen as a hot one-night stand, incapable of anything deeper. He was actually a really sensitive person, and recognising a similar affinity in Armie really drew him to the gingerhaired. The fact that he looked gorgeous and had a soft Irish accent helped, too, of course…

But then Adam got called in, and was gone for quite a while, getting exams, X-rays, and finally a cast. Armie leaned his head back against the wall, closed his eyes…

“Armitage?”  
“… Oh hello Rae.”  
“What are you doing here? Are you alright?”  
“Yeah, I’m fine thank you. It’s my friend, he got hit by a car. His leg seems to be broken.”  
“Oh that’s awful. “

She sat down next to Armie, but tilted her head quizzically.

“And you’re sure you’re alright yourself?”

Something in her voice… Armie didn’t want to talk, but his sleeves weren’t drawn all the way up, and she saw some of his bruises.

“It’s alright really. And it’s not him. My friend. I just-“

But the look in Rae’s eyes made Armie stop talking.

“It’s Brendol, isn’t it? I thought I heard something the other day, but then I got called away. I’d been meaning to talk to you. You’re not the first person he’s done this to. Not the first intern, certainly.”

Her face got fiercer, but stayed warm towards Armie, and she took his hand between both of hers. 

“Would you help me, Armitage? If you make a statement to our HR we can get some real progress on this. We don’t tolerate this kind of behaviour.”

Armie kneaded his lips.

“Think of all the people you’d be helping.”  
“I know, Rae, it’s just – I don’t think I’ll be here much longer. He fired me, and said pay will be withheld. Covering “damages” that I have no idea what he means. Right now, I don’t really know what I can do. I mean… without this job I’ve probably lost the basis for my visa as well?”

Rae’s eyes narrowed, and she warmly squeezed Armie’s hands.

“Alright. First things first. You’ll come work for me. And you will get your full pay, I’ll make sure of that. You’ll keep your job, and your visa. And that is whether you choose to make a statement or not. Understood? This is not bribery. This isn’t even actual kindness yet. It’s cleaning up after Brendol. You could sue, you know?”

She let out a deep breath, then looked up at a woman walking towards them.

“My aunt. That’s why I came here at this hour. But it looks like she’s alright… Listen, does your friend have insurance by the way?”  
“I… really wouldn’t know. He’s a cleaner at the office.”  
“Right. Well, let’s wait until he comes out. If there’s an issue, I’ll handle it – Don’t worry. Don’t even thank me. I’ll make sure Brendol foots the bill.”

The devilish grin on her face made Armie feel so much better.

Rae held her word, and then some. He didn’t know what she had said or done to Brendol, but when Armie turned up for his first day with Rae on Monday morning, Brendol was gone. A week later, Armie received a written letter of apology, sent from an anger management program. And, for his “general discretion and generosity”, Brendol offered to pay him a stipend supporting him whenever he needed it. Money couldn’t undo the things he’d done, of course, but it helped Armie after finishing the internship, while he went looking for a full-time job. 

And he used it to help Adam. After the hospital, Armie had moved into Adam’s shared flat, looking after him while he had the cast. Adam’s contract was too casual to include benefits, and so Armie paying rent and bills made a big difference. But he also looked at what other options Adam had, and the money helped give them the freedom to do that. It helped when they eventually got a small flat of their own. And two cats. And when they married, and went to Fiji on their honeymoon.

It was only money, but it helped, and Armie already had a proper dad, in Ireland. His parents and siblings came over for the ceremony, and Brendol, well, he stood quietly in the background and felt grateful that after all he’d done, he was allowed to do that. It would take a long to time to try and rebuild, no, really build any kind of healthy relationship with Armitage, but... if he was allowed to, Brendol would try.

“You never told me how you knew my name is Adam by the way…”

Armie gave a choked laugh, and put his book down. Millicent jumped off the bed, and Adam turned on his side, looking intently at his gorgeous husband.

“Well….?”  
“Well, let me show you. See, I never made a decision. I never even used it again, so you should still be on there…”, Armie chuckled while he looked to reinstall Tinder.  
Adam’s eyebrows danced around in amusement.

“You stalked me on Tinder?”  
“Well, what option did I have. I’d bumped into this beautiful guy and just run off like a madman.”  
“You did take off pretty sharpish, I remember… - but you won’t find me on there now. Obviously…”  
“Oh… right…”  
“That’s OK. We can look at your chats.”  
“What? No! I’m a terrible flirt!”  
“Oh come on!”  
“No!”

With one swoop, Armie cancelled the download, switched off the phone, then pounced on Adam. 

“Terrible. Flirt.”  
“I must have upgraded you…”

Armie kissed Adam’s nose.

“You did.”

And his cheeks.

“You really did.”

His full, perfect lips.

“Nonsense…”, Adam whispered when he caught his breath. 

He gently grabbed Armie’s wrists and pushed him onto his back, then began kissing a line down from his chin, down his throat, and all across his chest.

“It’s you… who’s upgraded… me…”

Kisses, and small bites, across Armie’s chest, lips that wrapped around his pink nipples, sucking on them just hard enough to make the gingerhaired gasp and moan and thread his fingers through Adam’s hair. 

Kisses all the way down his stomach, before Adam let go of Armie’s wrists and used his hands to caress down his body instead. Armie moaned and writhed, gasping when Adam’s large hands firmly gripped his thighs. Those perfect lips and that large warm tongue, kissing and lapping at his pretty cock with nothing short of adoration. Pre-cum already glistening on the pink head, Adam licked it up, humming in delight as he tasted his lover, then moved his mouth down to take all of him inside…

“Actually, I found you on Tinder, too…”

They were lying in their bed, breathless, boneless even, Adam spooning Armie, still tasting his cum in his mouth, Armie still feeling Adam’s inside his ass.

“And you made fun of me…”, he mock chided him.  
“Just a little bit…”  
“… So.. well? Did you swipe on me?”  
“Of course. Right swiped you, and waited and nothing ever happened.”  
“Damn…”  
“Three days…”  
“Damn!... But I would have gone back. That weekend, if I’d not seen you I would have.”  
“Promise?”  
“Well… actually, I remember feeling bad. I didn’t want anything casual, and I was only here for a short stay.”

Adam was silent for a moment, but the held Armie tighter.

“Thank you.”, he finally said. 

Hux was unsure what he meant, but he hummed and stroked over Adam’s hands.

“Thanks for seeing more in me than some quick fun. A lot of people never gave me a chance. You… you’ve always made me feel like you believed in me, in me having potential. Thank you.”  
“Thanks for giving me a chance, too. A total stranger that you were so kind to, for nothing in return.”, Armie replied, and Adam held him tighter, kissed the back of his neck, until their breath became slower and they fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> For the KyluxXOXO SummerFest 2019 event. Prompt #2 "Summer Job"  
Words used: Lips, Mission, Perfect.
> 
> Apologies if I have misrepresented how missions, embassies, the UN and internships there work O:) I had this idea to interpret the word "mission" for the prompt this way, and then the idea stuck. Sorry <3


End file.
